


Home

by swimmingwolf59



Series: Between Worlds [4]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Bantering, Established Relationship, Family Bonding, Fluff, Honeymoon, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Unnecessary emphasis on literally everything being fucking pointy on Vulcan, Vulcan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26058709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swimmingwolf59/pseuds/swimmingwolf59
Summary: Spock and Bones have their honeymoon on Vulcan. The whole family discovers a little bit more about each other.
Relationships: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock
Series: Between Worlds [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1699312
Comments: 14
Kudos: 58





	Home

“Spock, you’re as stiff as a board,” Leonard grumbled when he woke at 0200, thrashing around a bit in an attempt to get comfortable. “It’s like sleeping next to a log.”

It was still their wedding night. They had spent most of it completely wrapped up in each other until Leonard had passed out from sheer exhaustion and overstimulation. Spock had spent the rest of the night coming down from his pleasure-induced high and falling straight back into his—he could deny it no longer—anxiety. It wasn’t about Leonard or their wedding or anything like that, but it was being here, back in the house he grew up in, that was difficult. Without Leonard conscious, there was no longer anything to distract him from it.

He had not thought it possible for Leonard’s emotions to be any stronger than they seemed already, but with direct, constant contact with his mind, he was discovering that they were in fact overwhelming. It had changed his opinion of Leonard a little bit, if he was honest – the good doctor obviously knew more about emotional restraint than he had always let on.

It had taken some getting used to, when they had first made the link. But with only an evening of married life behind them, Spock discovered he was already finding comfort in the sea of Leonard’s emotions that submerged his brain when their link was open. It was easier to cope with his own when Leonard’s were so overbearing – it made his seem that much smaller and insignificant.

Without that metaphorical blanket, everything that was disagreeable about being back home was flooding back to him. He did not like being in this bed, where he had spent much of his childhood holding back tears and berating himself for not being Vulcan enough. He did not like being in this room, where he had learned to hate everything about his human side. He did not like looking at his parents, and remembering his father criticizing his every move and his mother always staring at him with pity, which he had grown to resent as he grew.

In fact, it was not until he had returned here that he even realized he had outgrown much of this thinking. It was unpleasant to be reminded of it, especially when he had just bonded himself permanently to someone from a race he had despised as a child.

Now, with Leonard awake again and his half-asleep contentment drifting over their link, Spock breathed for a bit and tried to relax. Based on the way Leonard was shoving at his shoulder, he was not succeeding. “It…is hard for me to be comfortable here.”

“Because of your dad?” Leonard asked, and finally settled on draping himself half over Spock. This was probably for Spock’s sake rather than his own physical comfort, and Spock gently sent over their link that he was grateful.

“That, among other things.” Now that Leonard’s warmth was around him, Spock found it much easier to release the tension in his body. He sunk into his husband and closed his eyes. “This room, this house, brings back many…unpleasant memories.”

“We didn’t have to come,” Leonard murmured.

“I wanted to come. I wanted Joanna to meet my mother. I wanted…”

It was hard to say this. It was hard to even admit it to himself. He wanted a connection with his father, but the more they interacted the harder it seemed to be. Without even consciously choosing to do so, Spock found himself closing off whenever he spoke with his father, found himself dissecting every single one of Sarek’s words. It was not logical. Perhaps that was why it was so difficult.

“Then do me a favor and actually _talk_ to your old man while we’re here, alright?” Leonard’s hand came down to rest over Spock’s heart. “I’m not performing surgery on the two of you again.”

“That was hardly a bonding exercise, Leonard.”

Leonard scoffed. “Speak for yourself.”

They laid there in silence for a while, and Spock focused on the feeling of Leonard’s warm breath against his scalp from where he had his cheek pressed to the top of his head. It was strange, having Leonard with him in this room. To even _imagine_ allowing himself to feel this way for someone…he was sure his childhood self would’ve been appalled. 

“I intend to unearth every embarrassing childhood secret of yours,” Leonard murmured after a while. There was amusement flowing through the link, but he was apparently also being serious.

Spock let out a small breath. “There is nothing for you to ‘unearth’.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Regardless of your beliefs, the fact remains that I have no embarrassing childhood secrets. Any I had I’m sure have already been revealed to you by my mother.”

Leonard chuckled. “I think she misses gossiping, being on Vulcan for so long.”

“I will never understand human preoccupation with personal details of other’s lives.” Spock turned slightly so he could face Leonard properly. “Especially since almost everyone I have asked about it, including you, admits that it’s rude to pry into other people’s ‘business’, and yet nearly every human I have ever met does it. If it is so wrong, why is it so universally encouraged?”

“We’re curious creatures, Spock, you saying Vulcans aren’t curious?”

“We are curious about many things, but personal matters are not one of them.”

“Oh come on! Don’t you think it’s fun to speculate why two Ensigns are spending a lot of time together, or who Jim’s got the hots for this time around, or what kind of crazy hobby Chekov has developed?”

“No. I would not define any of that as ‘fun’.”

“Oh right, I forgot, you don’t think anything’s fun.”

“‘Fun’ is an abstract concept, and based on personal parameters can mean a variety of different things—”

“Now listen here—”

They argued for so long and so extensively that, for the moment, Spock forgot all about his anxiety.

\--

It was hard to meditate the next morning.

Leonard got up early to relieve himself, but instead of going back to bed like he usually would he was rummaging around in Spock’s room while Spock tried to meditate, likely searching for Spock’s childhood secrets. He was keeping his side of the link closed, but Spock could still somehow _feel_ his giddy energy. Spock did not understand why humans found their friends and loved ones’ childhood rooms so fascinating, but he could not say he hadn’t been expecting it.

He could still picture Leonard’s bright face when Amanda had told him about Spock’s pet _sehlat._

“Oh my _God_ ,” Leonard whispered and guffawed loudly.

Spock decided to give up on meditating. He rolled up his mat and put it back into his travel bag and then made his way over to where Leonard was standing near his desk. Leonard turned to him, grin on his face, and opened his side of the link again. His glee flooded into Spock’s mind like a slap to the face.

He showed Spock the framed picture he was holding. “Is this _you_?”

It was indeed a picture of Spock when he was about five years old. He was standing with his short arms slung around the neck of I‘Chaya, his pet _sehlat_ , and it was obvious looking at him that he had been barely holding back a smile. His hair was a mess, and there was sand smudged on his cheek. Spock wasn’t sure why the photo was there, because it certainly hadn’t been when he had left.

He took a deep breath. “Obviously.”

“You and your teddy bear,” Leonard said delightedly, staring back down at the picture. “Look how cute you were! And is that a _smile_?”

“It required more time for me to master restraining my emotions than other children my age due to my human half,” Spock said, clasping his hands tightly behind his back. “I had not yet mastered it at this point in time.”

“Lucky me.” Leonard beamed. “I’m going to ask Amanda if I can keep this.”

_Why_ , Spock wanted to ask, but apparently the sentiment carried itself across the bond sufficiently, for Leonard’s grin morphed into a smirk.

“Blackmail, what else?”

“Then I believe I am well within my rights to ask your mother for a similar photo of yourself.”

Leonard raised a challenging eyebrow. “Go right ahead – I’m not ashamed to admit I was a cute kid.”

Spock let out a small sigh. He supposed the threat was empty, considering that Leonard had not spoken to his mother in years and thus Spock would not either. 

“Where was this picture taken, anyway?” Leonard asked after a beat.

“The L’langon mountains. They are not far from here – I used to go there quite often as a child, almost always with I’Chaya.”

“I’Chaya?” His mouth formed strangely around the words. Leonard had never gotten particularly good at Vulcan pronunciation, though it didn’t stop him from trying.

“My _sehlat_.”

Leonard’s expression cleared. “Your teddy bear.”

Spock nearly sighed again. “As we have discussed before, _sehlat_ bear almost no resemblance to ‘teddy bears’. For one thing, they are alive, and they have—”

“Yeah, yeah, six-inch fangs, I remember. But a loose definition of a teddy bear is something soft and cuddly. You trying to tell me that I’Chaya wasn’t soft and cuddly?”

“His fur was very soft. However, Vulcans do not _cuddle_ —”

“That is such a lie, you were cuddling me last night! And even if you deny that, this picture right here _proves_ that Vulcans cuddle.”

Spock wilted. “I see why you wish to keep the picture.”

Leonard grinned, but finally set the photo down.

If it was gone the next time Leonard looked for it, Spock didn’t know anything about it.

\--

They went downstairs sometime later to find Amanda in the living room with Joanna on her lap. She was reading to her in a low voice that McCoy was sure she developed from living a significant portion of her life with Vulcans. Sarek wasn’t anywhere to be found, and McCoy rolled his eyes at the relief he felt trickle across their bond.

McCoy was taking quickly to the nuances of the link, probably because of all the work Spock put in teaching him how to shield his emotions from Joanna. Opening and closing the link was basically the same practice as putting up and taking down his shields, so it had only taken him a few tries to master it. To his mild surprise, Spock had yet to close his side of the link, except for when he was meditating.

He knew Spock trusted him, but it was nice to have it reassured in their marriage bond. 

“Good morning,” Amanda said, looking up and smiling at them as they approached. “I have breakfast all ready for you – I hope you don’t mind a blend of human and Vulcan food, Leonard.”

“That’s mighty kind of you, thank you,” McCoy said as he bent down first to kiss Amanda’s cheek and then Joanna’s. “And I don’t mind at all – that’s what we have at home.”

Amanda looked a bit surprised. “You eat Vulcan food?”

“Some of it – nothing in the entire _universe_ will get me to try _plomeek_ again, but some of it’s pretty good.”

“Leonard particularly enjoys _pok tar_ ,” Spock said from the kitchen.

“I must say, neither of us are much of a cook, but Spock makes a mean _pok tar_ ,” McCoy admitted as he got up to get a plate for himself. When he got to the kitchen, he found a small spread of _gespar_ and blueberry pancakes. He grinned at his husband. “You didn’t tell me you love blueberries because your mom makes blueberry pancakes. How human of you.”

“I’ve noticed that you have become more insulting since we got married,” Spock said flatly, and McCoy laughed.

“I’ve always been insulting, you were just too busy courting me to notice.”

“Spock, do you use Sarek’s recipe when you cook _pok tar_ for Leonard?” Amanda called from the living room.

Spock froze marginally. “…Yes.”

McCoy looked at him in shock. “I didn’t know your father was a good cook.”

“It’s a hobby of his,” Amanda said. “I’ll ask him to make _pok tar_ for us tonight!”

“Only if it’s not too much trouble,” McCoy said quickly.

“Not at all – you’re our guest! I think Sarek would be pleased to have an excuse to cook, he doesn’t have the time to usually.”

“Then I’ll look forward to it,” McCoy said. He stacked three blueberry pancakes onto his plate and scooped some _gespar_ on top. He put a smaller pile of _gespar_ on the side for Joanna and then returned to the living room.

Spock sat next to his mother and took Joanna from her, setting her in his lap as he mashed the _gespar_ up for her. Joanna rambled about something or other to him that made his eyes brighten with amusement as he murmured back to her.

“What were you reading to her?” McCoy asked Amanda. 

“Alice in Wonderland,” Amanda said cheerfully. “I used to read it to Spock all the time, so I had it lying around still.”

“It’s good,” Joanna said, her mouth full of _gespar_.

“It is a fascinating tale,” Spock agreed, and McCoy squinted at him.

“You told me your mom only read Vulcan stories to you!” McCoy accused, pointing his fork at Spock.

Spock’s face was blank. “I never said that. You simply assumed it.”

“It’s the same thing, you green-blooded—” He stopped, remembering Amanda was sitting right next to him. He turned to her in exasperation. “Where did he pick up this lying by omission habit of his?”

“From his father,” Amanda said, and frowned as Spock noticeably stiffened. “Oh I know you like to pretend you’re not related, but you two are remarkably similar, really.”

“Well, I’m glad Joanna’s finally getting exposed to some Earth stories!” McCoy said, drawing the conversation away from Sarek. He didn’t want Spock to be in a _mood_ for the rest of the day.

Amanda looked at him in confusion. “You don’t read to her?”

“I do, but…” McCoy floundered, suddenly embarrassed.

Luckily, Spock had no trouble ratting him out. “Leonard reads his medical textbooks to Joanna.”

Amanda looked like she was trying hard not to laugh. “I see. And does she enjoy these?”

“Oh yeah, she absolutely _loves_ human physiology, especially.” McCoy grinned. “Drives Spock crazy.”

“It is better than _Curious George_ , but only marginally,” Spock said, and Amanda laughed.

“What do you two have against _Curious George_? I grew up on that story!”

“It just…” McCoy started, but was unsure how to continue without offending her.

“Joanna wished to read it every night. It got…repetitive,” Spock said, not looking at his mother.

“Hm, I’ll have to read it to her while she’s here,” Amanda said, eyes glinting mischievously.

McCoy groaned. “As long as I’m not around, _please_.” 

Amanda laughed. “Well how about this – I’ll tuck in some old Earth children’s books I used to read to Spock when he was young in your bag while you’re away.”

McCoy blinked at her. “Away?”

“For your _l’koon-nahr_ ,” Amanda said, smiling kindly.

McCoy frowned at the unfamiliar word, but before he could ask for clarification Spock said, “I believe the phrase used on Earth is ‘honeymoon’.”

“Ah, now we’re on the same page,” McCoy said, grinning. He turned to his husband. “So, any idea where you want to take me?”

McCoy could’ve listed about a hundred things he would’ve found more likely than Spock whipping out what could only be called a _motorcycle_ and driving them up into the mountains, but that was exactly what happened.

“You didn’t tell me I married a bad boy,” McCoy teased, shouting at him to be heard over the wind as they zipped through the desert.

Spock’s motorcycle, which was apparently called a hoverbike, had several thrusters where the tires would be that acted as steering control while in the air. It was made out of a surprisingly light material, as Spock had carried it down a flight of stairs without any difficulty, and it was painted bright white so as not to overheat in the Vulcan sun. They were both wearing helmets with long visors, to prevent sand from getting in their eyes, and McCoy was holding onto Spock with all the strength that he had.

Falling from this height wasn’t something on his bucket list.

McCoy didn’t even have to see him to know that Spock was wearing his _you are the most illogical person I have ever met_ face. He was unfairly sexy in his hoverbike garb, which was white to match the bike. It wasn’t made out of leather, but some incredibly soft material McCoy didn’t recognize, but otherwise it was very similar to Earth garb in that it was incredibly _tight_. McCoy could practically see everything, and he was immensely enjoying the view. 

He couldn’t wait to get him out of it.

“I assume your statement has something to do with an illogical Earth prejudice towards people who ride vehicles such as these,” Spock shouted back. McCoy could feel his voice vibrating through his body from where his chest was pressed into his back.

“Something like that.” McCoy smirked to himself as he looked at the scenery fly by around them.

Whatever else was said about Vulcan, it sure was a pretty planet. Out of the city, the orange sands of the desert spread out vast and endless beneath them. Occasionally McCoy could see a few purple plants dotting the landscape and some moving shapes, likely _sehlat_. Even more breathtaking though were the mountains that loomed ahead of them. They were dark in color, like volcanic rock, and stood out starkly against the red sky. There were no snow caps, as it never got cold enough to snow on Vulcan, but the tips of these mountains were sun-bleached so they still gave off the appearance of having caps.

On the hoverbike, they reached the mountains quickly and ascended. It was cooler here, but not by much – McCoy was glad he’d decided to steal one of Spock’s light robes for the journey. The mountains looked empty at just a glance, but sometimes movement caught McCoy’s eye and he’d turn just in time to see an ungulate of some kind leap nimbly up the rocks. One he got a close look of had dark red fur to match the rocks and antlers like corkscrews.

“Even the fauna here have pointy ears,” McCoy said amusedly.

“Leonard, I do not believe I have to tell you that antlers are not in fact ears.” Just then, another ungulate appeared below them. It was of a different species, as it had brown fur instead of red. It didn’t have antlers, and thus was probably a female, but it did have the pointiest ears that would put even the best of Vulcans to shame.

McCoy’s loud laughter startled the creature and it fled down the rockface.

“Let me guess,” he said, still giggling, “Scientific name: _Vulcana vulcan_?”

Spock sighed a very human sigh. “ _Kupra vulcana._ ”

McCoy guffawed. “Y’all are just a little bit too obsessed with those ears.”

“They are our most dignified features.”

“I’ll say.” McCoy leaned forward to draw his finger delicately over the tip of Spock’s ear. He was pleased when he felt a shiver race down Spock’s spine.

They continued to climb. McCoy kept his eyes out for more _Kupra vulcana,_ but they seemed to be rare in these mountains, or at least shy. They passed more of the corkscrew ungulates, which looked up from munching on what little vegetation clung to the rocks as they flew by.

After a few more minutes of ascending, and for no discernible reason that McCoy could see, Spock turned the bike abruptly and landed in a small clearing. There didn’t seem to be anything special about the clearing, except that it was the only flat surface in the area. There was also a small trail descending from the side facing away from the direction they had come in, likely used by the ungulates he had seen.

It was empty now, and either the vegetation had been scrubbed clean by the ungulates or never grew here in the first place.

“This is…a very specific spot,” McCoy said when they landed. His legs were wobbly from the ride, and they gave out on him as he attempted to step forward. Spock had to catch him under the armpits to prevent him from falling flat on his face and breaking his nose.

“I often found it…difficult to be at home, while I was growing up.” Spock said, hovering until McCoy swatted him away. He stepped back and leaned the hoverbike against a tall rock to the left of the clearing. “I came here whenever it was too unbearable.”

“So you know these mountains like the back of your hand, huh?” McCoy asked, kneeling down to touch the rock at their feet, curious about the texture. It was hot from the heat of the sun, however, and he jerked his hand back.

Spock’s gaze was heavy on him. “The back of my hand, or you.”

McCoy swallowed and stood to face him. Spock tilted his head innocently. “It is currently too hot for the activities you seem to be expecting. Perhaps later.”

“Filthy tease,” McCoy growled, his voice gravelly.

Spock straightened, but his control was impeccable, especially when he wanted to be stubborn. So McCoy held back his own arousal, refusing to lose that particular game, and listened as Spock took him on the trail through the mountains, pointing out fauna and flora or interesting geological features. The fauna was remarkably similar to those one would find in one of Earth’s deserts, with snakes and lizards of various shapes and sizes skittering everywhere. 

It was obvious from the way Spock spoke how much this place meant to him. When Spock was truly interested in something, he could talk about it for hours, and the way he spoke about it was the most animated he ever got in the company of people that weren’t family. But even McCoy had never seen him like this: eyes bright, delight lining every word, eager to share every fact he had on this place. He obviously loved these mountains – he must have missed them terribly.

McCoy kept his teasing to a minimum, honored that Spock wanted to share this private part of his childhood with him.

After a few hours of up and down walking, Spock led him down to a small pond nestled in between two tall peaks. The strong winds in this area had managed to bring sand even up here, and it surrounded the pond like a tiny beach. Lizards basked on the rocks nearby while snakes in the water stared at them, only their eyes visible.

Spock sat down at the water’s edge, removing his boots and socks and rolling up his pantlegs so he could dip his feet into the water. Then, he started to unbutton his shirt.

“You want to have sex _here_?” McCoy burst out incredulously, a grin tugging on his lips. “We’ll get sand _everywhere_.”

Spock just raised his eyebrows at him and continued unbuttoning.

McCoy jerked forward. “Well don’t go too fast – I want to take that off you myself.”

They ended up getting sand everywhere, but somehow McCoy didn’t mind.

\--

It had been a long time since Amanda had had a baby in the house.

Just about 40 years in fact. And yet it seemed like yesterday when Spock was young enough to have to rely completely on Amanda, too young to care about things like logic and emotions. Watching Joanna now reminded Amanda of how Spock had been back then, curious and joyous about all things. Spock had managed to maintain his curiosity, anyway, but he was much more reserved about showing it. There was a part of Amanda that missed when Spock, just three years old, used to run up to her, a big smile on his face as he showed her an interesting lizard he’d found in the garden.

Thus it was a delight to watch Joanna explore the same garden Spock had grown up in. Amanda walked with her and Sarek slowly through the garden, holding onto her hand when she wasn’t sprinting on ahead. She was chattering almost non-stop, and though most if it was incomprehensible, Sarek was doing his best to respond to her. Walking behind them, Amanda didn’t have to bother hiding her smile.

Sarek was almost comically awkward around Joanna. It was less funny when she remembered that he had been this way when Spock was a baby, too.

With the wisdom of hindsight, Amanda knew that, though they had tried so hard for a child, neither she nor Sarek had actually been prepared for raising one. They hadn’t discussed as extensively as they should’ve how to raise their son to have dual heritages, especially ones that clashed so often, and she knew that Spock suffered because of it. It got to the point where he had simply erased everything about himself that was human, everything that was _her_.

Amanda knew it was her fault, and there was so much she would change if she could do it all again.

But it didn’t do anyone any good dwelling on the past. The best she could do was work to atone for her mistakes, support Spock as best as she could now, and give him as many pointers as possible so he didn’t fall into the same parenting pitfalls.

Not that it would be easy. Spock hardly talked to them anymore, even about important things. It still stung that he hadn’t told them about Joanna or his wedding until it was almost too late for them to attend. She understood his reasons, of course she did, but she had hoped that by now Spock had learned that they cared about him, and wished to be involved with his life.

Or at least that she did. She was sure Sarek did as well, but she knew he didn’t do a very good job of showing it.

She sighed. Leonard was polite, and knew how to get past Spock’s stubbornness – perhaps he would encourage Spock to pass on important information from now on.

“Sarek,” she said, pausing with him as they watched Joanna examine the vegetables growing in the garden. “I learned this morning that Leonard likes _pok tar_ – would you fix some for dinner tonight?”

Sarek nodded. “It would please me to. I must admit I did not expect Doctor McCoy to have much experience with Vulcan food.”

“He said that he and Spock have both Earth and Vulcan dishes for their meals quite often. And call him Leonard – he’s family now.” They moved on as Joanna spotted a lizard and began scuttling after it. “Spock uses your recipe to make _pok tar_.”

Sarek was silent for a moment. “I was not aware that Spock knew any of my recipes.”

She smiled and looked down at the ground. “Neither was I.” 

They walked in silence for a while again. Amanda, by habit, linked her arm through her husband’s. When they had first married, one of their favorite activities to do together was to garden. They had built this garden together, growing Earth and Vulcan plants side by side. Amanda loved walking through it and looking at the evidence of their love, of their hard-work. It hadn’t been easy, blending Earth and Vulcan values, but here it made it seem like anything was possible.

“I thought for so long that Spock joining Starfleet was a mistake,” Sarek said after a while, looking stubbornly ahead. “I see now that I was wrong. Joining Starfleet has helped Spock grow into the person he was supposed to become. It would have been wrong for him to stay here on Vulcan.”

“You should tell Spock that, Sarek,” Amanda said, squeezing his arm. “I think it would mean a lot to him.”

“…You are right, Amanda, as you usually are,” Sarek said, placing his hand over hers. “We have not been very logical, Spock and I.”

She smiled. “Even Vulcans can’t be logical _all_ the time.” 

“ _Sa’mekh-al_ , _Ko’mekh-il_!” Joanna yelled, galloping up to them. She grabbed the edges of their sleeves, already conscious of not touching a Vulcan’s hands, and dragged them along with her. She stopped at a seemingly random spot on the edge of the garden, and pointed down at the ground. She asked in Vulcan, “What is that?”

Sarek bent down to examine the object, and then said matter-of-factly, “That is _sehlat_ scat.”

“What is scat?” she asked.

“Feces,” Sarek replied patiently.

Her face scrunched up for a moment, still confused, and then cleared. “You mean _poop_?!”

Sarek nodded. “Precisely.”

A huge grin grew on Joanna’s face, and then she burst out laughing. Her laughter startled some vultures that were perched nearby, and they took off with loud, piercing screeches that nearly mimicked Joanna’s laughter.

Sarek looked so bewildered that Amanda couldn’t help but laugh too. 

\--

They returned to the house when the sun began to set so that Sarek could start fixing dinner. Since Spock and Leonard still seemed to be gone, Amanda sat in the living room with a sleepy Joanna in her arms and began singing to her softly. She used to sing to Spock when he was young, and then when he was older and learning to play the lyre, she would occasionally sing along with his music. It had pleased her greatly to learn that he still played, and that he occasionally played duets with a coworker named Nyota who sang with him much like Amanda used to.

It made her happy beyond words to see that Spock had such a large family now. He had never had many friends growing up.

Just as Joanna had fallen asleep, and Amanda ended her last note, the front door opened. She watched Spock enter the house with Leonard. Neither of them noticed her, as caught up in each other as they were.

Spock was speaking to Leonard, his eyes never leaving his husband’s. The way he looked now reminded Amanda of when he had just come home from the mountains as a child, with his ruffled hair and sand on his cheeks. She wondered if that was where he had taken his husband. The way they were looking at each other spoke of volumes of fondness, but, when Amanda heard what they were actually saying, she was surprised to find that they were arguing.

“I don’t care _what_ you say, Spock – that was absolutely a creek!” Leonard straightened Spock’s ruffled shirt, but kept his hands there, palms flat against Spock’s chest.

“There is no logic to the way English speakers refer to bodies of water of different sizes. There are no regulations, no standards.” Spock ran his fingers through Leonard’s hair, brushing sand from it. “For example, I have seen you refer to a body of water that was 5.73 kilometers wide as a ‘pond’.”

“It’s all relative, Spock – ponds are small, lakes are bigger. On that planet, the lakes were essentially oceans, so naturally ponds refer to larger things as well. And it’s the same with rivers! Streams are smaller than rivers.” Leonard drew his hands down further, resting them on Spock’s hips.

Spock stepped marginally closer, tracing Leonard’s jaw with his fingertips. “Then what is a creek? How is it different than a stream?”

“Creeks are bigger than streams.”

“But smaller than rivers?”

Leonard smiled. “Now you’re catching on.”

“Then how could that have counted as a creek? According to your logic, it was most definitely a river.”

“It was not!! It was a creek!”

“Without the frame of reference I possess of other bodies of water on Vulcan, you can’t prove me wrong.”

Leonard spluttered angrily and Spock, smiling a small, fond smile, bent down to kiss him. It was, Amanda noticed, an effective way to end the argument. She finally looked away, giving them some semblance of privacy. Obviously their arguing was nothing serious, based on how they were acting and looking at each other, but it left her slightly shocked. 

She had not seen her son smile since he was three years old. And he had certainly never smiled while in the middle of an argument.

She had not had much of a chance to introduce Spock to her human values. Since they lived on Vulcan, Sarek had decided to prioritize Spock’s Vulcan upbringing, and after Amanda saw how he was being bullied at school, she’d agreed. She had always intended to introduce human customs to Spock when was older, but by then it was too late – Spock had already methodically erased every part of himself that was human. Perhaps it would have been better to try anyway, and as she thought about her son smiling at his human husband, she vowed to start trying to introduce more of her family traditions to Spock.

But where Amanda had failed to foster humanity in her son, Leonard seemed able to pry it out of him, and for that she was grateful. Spock was lucky to have found such a good husband, who let him be both halves of who he was. 

Spock and Leonard entered the room at last, neither of them showing any evidence of having argued so extensively. Spock nodded to her. “Hello, mother.”

“Hi, darlings. Did you two enjoy your day?” Amanda asked, smiling.

“Yeah, it was good. Really good.” Leonard smiled back and leaned down to put a gentle hand on Joanna’s head. “She had a busy day too, it looks like.”

“She explored the garden with us, asking about a million questions of course.”

Leonard grinned and sat across from her. “Of course.”

Spock sat next to Amanda, and she moved Joanna into his arms. Before she retreated out of his space, she acted on impulse and wrapped an arm around his shoulder in a quick hug and pressed a kiss to the side of his head. It was silly to try, as Spock almost always wiggled away from her, vastly uncomfortable.

This time, however, he leaned slightly into her touch. Surprised, she stayed there a bit longer than she normally would, and smiled when Spock let her.

Perhaps there was hope for them yet.

They told Amanda about their trip, Spock mentioning the unusual things they had managed to see and Leonard laughing about the _Kupra vulcana._ During their retelling, they frequently interrupted each other to have a brief argument, clear joy in both of their eyes when they did. Amanda was starting to realize that this was just something they did, something they both valued.

When Joanna woke up again, she practically shot out of Spock’s arms in her excitement to see her fathers. She dragged them out to the porch, wanting to show them all of the strange things she had seen in the garden.

Spock sat on the edge of the porch as Leonard laid on his back, head in Spock’s lap. Joanna was on his chest, growing more talkative as she woke. Leonard had his arms tightly around her, and Spock had one hand in Leonard’s hair and the other holding Joanna’s hand. Amanda noticed that not a single one of them broke skin-to-skin contact the entire time they spent together.

They were already quite bonded. She was immensely happy to see that Spock had found a family he trusted to be in such intimate contact with.

She watched them for a while, and then got up to join Sarek in the kitchen.

“Our son has found a good family,” Amanda said as she leaned against the counter. 

Sarek raised an eyebrow but did not look up from chopping vegetables. “Indeed? I tend to agree, though I believe our reasonings are vastly different.”

She bit back her smile. “Perhaps.”

\--

McCoy found himself sitting out on the back porch with Sarek that evening. Spock was inside with his mother, helping her clean up after dinner by doing the dishes while she played with Joanna. McCoy could feel the happy buzzing of Spock’s content affection in his head, and he couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

That damn Vulcan would do just about anything besides talk to his father, including throwing McCoy under the bus.

McCoy himself was nursing a brandy and doing his damnedest not to make eye contact with Sarek. He didn’t know what to say to his husband’s estranged father, and didn’t really plan on finding out. Instead, he was staring at the night sky. He couldn’t figure out why it was so jarring until he realized there wasn’t a moon. The night felt unnaturally dark and heavy without a moon to spread its light around, and though the sky was full of stars, they weren’t enough to make up for it.

“You seem apprehensive, Leonard,” Sarek spoke suddenly.

McCoy just about jumped out of his skin. He didn’t think Sarek had _ever_ called him by his first name before. “Do I? Must be left over from all the wine I drank yesterday.”

“Not all humans can survive the Vulcan marriage ceremony,” Sarek said, and to McCoy it _almost_ sounded like there was humor in his voice. Spock would probably tell him he was just projecting.

“Well, I don’t know how many other humans have attempted it, but we’re down two for two, so far,” McCoy said with a lopsided grin.

Sarek nodded. “Indeed.”

They fell into silence again. Sarek was sipping a cup of spice tea, the kind Spock always liked to have. McCoy swirled his brandy in his glass and dug his bare feet into the orange sand. It was still warm, despite the cold of the night.

He didn’t know _what_ to say. The last time he had seen Sarek was the incredibly awkward dinner he’d had with him, Amanda, and Spock, where Spock had just blurted out that he and McCoy were in a relationship without warning. It had been mortifying, not only because he hadn’t been told beforehand that it was going to happen, but also because he’d thought Spock had already _told_ his parents they were in a relationship. Instead, he’d sat there, brandy dripping from his chin from when he’d choked, as Amanda stared at him in shock. Even Sarek had looked vaguely unsettled.

They had both responded positively once they had recovered themselves, which had surprised McCoy. He hadn’t thought he had made all that good of an impression with them the first time they had come aboard the _Enterprise_. Sure, he had saved Sarek’s life, but Sarek had seemed uninterested in his questions, and McCoy had shown them his snappier side in Sickbay. He wasn’t ashamed of how he was, and he supposed it was best that they already knew he didn’t care much for the chain of command or being polite, but in hindsight he had thought he should’ve acted better in front of his friend’s parents.

But Amanda had even thanked him, for giving Spock something of a home on the _Enterprise_. Sarek had made the effort to ask him about his xenobiology background.

If Sarek could extend an olive branch to him, then so could McCoy.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “That _pok tar_ you fixed tonight was real good; it’s my favorite Vulcan dish anyway, but the way you make it is something else. Spock never told me it was your recipe.”

Sarek tipped his head in acknowledgement of the compliment. “This does not surprise me. Spock and I have not been on speaking terms for many years.”

“You’re both pig-headed,” McCoy muttered, forgetting for a moment that he wasn’t in fact talking to Spock. “Er, stubborn, that is.”

Sarek did not seem bothered by McCoy’s colorful language. “Fascinating. Amanda said nearly the same thing.”

“I’ve always wanted to ask you how you met Amanda, if you’ll forgive my curiosity,” he blurted out. “You don’t seem the type to bond with a human.”

“Curiosity is a trait shared by both humans and Vulcans – there is nothing to forgive.” Sarek shifted slightly and set his tea down. “I met Amanda while I was working as an ambassador on Earth. She interrupted a meeting we were having about incorporating alien children into Earth schools, and she had…very strong opinions. I met with her privately afterward and told her I felt her points were valid, but that they would have been a stronger argument if she had not let her emotions overtake her.”

McCoy grinned. “I can imagine how she responded to that.”

Sarek nodded. “Indeed. She told me that it was her emotions that made her argument strong. I thought this highly illogical, but the council agreed with her arguments and she was put in charge of implementing the new policy. I…voted against her. But she did a remarkable job, and I later regretted that I had not sided with her.”

“So then you decided to marry her? That doesn’t seem very logical.”

Sarek raised his eyebrows, and it was undeniably where Spock got it from. “I realized that she offered a unique perspective that allowed me to consider a problem from all angles. Her advice has been invaluable since then. It was only logical to spend a great deal of time with her, and when I needed to return to Vulcan, I asked her to come with me.”

“Huh.” McCoy processed this for a second. “You know, sometimes Spock says my arguing with him helps him when considering a problem, too. I always thought he thought I was a loud-mouthed idiot.”

Sarek dipped his head. “Perhaps we are all more alike than we are ready to admit.”

“Perhaps.” McCoy smirked a little. “What were Amanda’s arguments about incorporating alien children into Earth schools?”

McCoy felt Spock’s surprise across their bond when he stumbled across them later to find them locked in an intense discussion about the benefits of incorporating many different cultures and species into early education. 

“Hi, darlin’,” McCoy said, shifting over a little. “Care to join us? I know you enjoy arguing about inclusion in education.”

Spock hesitated, long enough that Sarek interjected. “It is quite alright, Leonard – I am retiring for the night. Good night.”

He left swiftly, and McCoy didn’t miss how Spock’s shoulders loosened and some relief trickled across their bond. McCoy stood, and Spock sent him an odd look. “…‘Leonard’?”

“Hell if I know, I was just as surprised.” McCoy hooked his arm in Spock’s as they went upstairs to the bedroom. “Guess he’s trying to make an effort, since I’m family now.”

Spock merely raised an eyebrow. “That would be out of character.”

“Don’t I know it.” McCoy rolled his eyes and then leaned more purposefully into Spock. “Come on, forget about him for now. That sand prevented me from doing everything I wanted to earlier, and I want to continue.”

Safe in the privacy of their room, Spock cradled his face and pressed forward to kiss him. “There is little I could focus on when you are with me, Leonard.”

McCoy raised his eyebrows and grinned. “I distract you from _almost_ everything, huh?”

Spock nodded, a small smile hidden in the corner of his mouth. “Everything but astrophysics, of course.”

“Oh, of course!” McCoy laughed, and took his husband to bed.

\--

“Shi’Kahr has a pretty extensive library, doesn’t it?” he asked as they laid together later. 

Spock was always extra cuddly after sex, so he was perhaps closer than strictly necessary. McCoy could feel his warm breath on his neck. “Yes. We have always placed great value on writing; it is how we have such well-preserved records of our long history. There is quite a collection of poetry and fiction, as well as encyclopedias and off-world classics.”

“So you think there’s stuff about Romulans there?”

Spock shifted so that he could look at McCoy. “You wish to learn more about Romulan physiology.”

“Well, yeah, there’s always more to learn about that.” McCoy rolled over to face him too. “But I dunno, I feel like, if we’re raising a Romulan, we should _know_ more about them. Even if there’s limited information, I want to know what it is. I also want to see if I can find anything about telepathic Romulans.” 

“Logical,” Spock agreed. “Do you wish for me to come with you?”

“Unless you want me to get lost in the desert, yeah.”

Spock raised an eyebrow, and McCoy traced it with his finger. “You do not need to enter the desert to reach the library.”

“Exactly.” McCoy grinned, and kissed him. They got lost in it for a while, but then something occurred to McCoy and he froze. “Oh, hell, here I am getting involved in work again. I’m sorry – you probably don’t want to go to the library on our honeymoon.”

“Strictly speaking, it is not work, as it is for the benefit of our daughter. Additionally, it is logical to take advantage of Vulcan’s resources while we are here.” Spock smoothed a ruffled bit of McCoy’s hair. “And it does not matter where we spend our honeymoon, as long as we are together.”

McCoy smiled a little. “So you don’t mind?”

“Not at all. It has been a while since I have visited the main library.” Spock raised an eyebrow. “And I am also what you would call a ‘workaholic’.”

“I knew there was a reason I married you,” McCoy teased, kissing him again.

“I would hope it is not the only reason.” Amusement pulsed across their bond as Spock broke off to press soft kisses down his jawline.

McCoy hummed appreciatively and wrapped his arms contently around Spock’s shoulders. “Hm, I can think of a few.”

He could feel Spock’s smile as his lips moved lower.

McCoy slept like the dead afterwards, exhausted from their hike through the mountains, and didn’t wake until Spock slipped out of bed to meditate. He laid in bed for a while, just enjoying the feeling of waking up slowly without worrying about an alarm going off. Glancing lazily around the room, he noticed for the first time how spartan the room really was.

It was strange, realizing that their quarters back on the _Enterprise_ were more decorated than the place where Spock grew up. Spock didn’t have a lot, sure, but he didn’t have _nothing_ , either; he had several Vulcan art pieces, both paintings and sculptures, and his lyre of course. He also had a music box his mother had made for him, as well as a model of an Earth horse that Captain Pike had given him. And he of course had the chess board, a gift from Jim. Spock even had all of the joke souvenirs McCoy had used to bring back for him when they’d first started dating and he was on an away mission that Spock, for once, was not. They were usually just things like purple leaves, or a bioluminescent nut, or whatever interesting flora McCoy happened to see down there that wasn’t toxic or actively trying to kill him. He always figured Spock thought they were rather ridiculous, but he had been startled one day to find every single one of them preserved in a box in the drawer underneath Spock’s desk. He certainly hadn’t found anything like that in Spock’s childhood room. And he had searched. Thoroughly.

But he supposed it made sense that all of that stuff had moved with Spock – if it really meant something to him, he wouldn’t just leave it behind.

“Leonard.” Spock’s head poked up over the edge of the bed. “When do you wish to leave for the library?”

“Whenever.” McCoy reached over to rub Spock’s ear. Spock leaned into his touch like a cat, and he smiled. “Your mom making more of those pancakes?”

Spock almost smiled. “I shall ask.”

She was, so they stayed for breakfast and then set out on Spock’s hoverbike again. This time, they drove through the city instead of turning into the desert, and McCoy stared at the people and the buildings as they shot past. The thing he noticed first about the city was how quiet it was – there was none of the hustle and bustle that would be a guarantee in an Earth city. There were people everywhere, sure, but most of them were just quietly walking around, minding their own business. Those that were talking were murmuring quietly to each other. There was no loud laughter, shouting, honking of horns.

It was peaceful.

The people themselves were, to borrow a word, fascinating. McCoy had never really seen a Vulcan besides Spock and Sarek, and it was interesting to see how much physical characteristics differed between individuals. He didn’t see anyone without black hair, unless they didn’t have hair, but all of the skin tones that existed on Earth existed on Vulcan as well, and even ear shape varied quite considerably.

As for the buildings, every single one was tall and pointy, like giant stalagmites sticking up from the ground. They were all a brownish color to match the mountains, and presumably so none of them absorbed too much heat from the sun. He was sure the design was _highly logical_ , but he couldn’t help but say, “Seriously? Even your _buildings_ are pointy?”

“Points and sharp edges are one of nature’s most common patterns. Much more common than squares or rectangles.”

McCoy rolled his eyes. “Just don’t give me an office on the top floor.”

McCoy felt a jolt of surprise from Spock. “You would consider working, and thus living, on Vulcan?”

Caught off guard, as he had only been making a bad joke, McCoy floundered for a bit. “Well, I—” But when he got over the initial shock of it, he found his answer was obvious. “Of course I would. You and I are sticking together, aren’t we? And if you ever want to return to Vulcan, I’m coming with you.”

Spock was silent for a moment, and McCoy let him stew on it as he looked out at the city again. He tried to picture himself living on Vulcan. He was sure he would offend just about everyone he met, but hell, Amanda pulled it off somehow. He could adapt. He wasn’t _that_ old.

“It…pleases me that you mean that,” Spock said eventually, warm happiness wafting over their bond. “I think someday I would like to return. Probably not soon, but someday.” 

“Okay.” McCoy laid his head on Spock’s shoulder. “Just let me know. I can practice medicine anywhere. Especially now that I have Vulcan physiology more or less under my belt.”

“‘Under your belt’ is a rather vulgar expression.”

McCoy snorted. “Well, if you want to take it that way, I’m not going to stop you. You _are_ usually under my belt.”

Spock’s ears flushed bright green, and McCoy laughed.

Luckily for Spock’s innocence, they made it to the library soon after. It was, surprise surprise, a brown pointy building. It was one of the largest buildings in the area, but it was practically deserted as McCoy and Spock dismounted the hoverbike and entered.

The library was massive, tall bookcases stretching in every direction on the ground floor. According to the complicated map, subjects were separated by floors, and giant, beautiful spiral staircases carried one from floor to floor. There were also turbolifts for those who couldn’t or preferred not to use stairs and computers spread out everywhere for searching and other customer assistance.

Spock walked up to the computer by the entrance. “Computer, lead me to the section where books on the Romulans are kept.”

Pale blue lights lit up on the ground, one pathway leading to a spiral staircase and the other to a turbolift. Spock of course decided to follow the one that led to the staircase.

“Where’s the logic in spiral staircases?” McCoy muttered, but followed his husband.

Luckily, they only had to climb to the third floor and follow the lights to a back corner. The lights were flickering back here, suggesting that it wasn’t a very commonly used area. McCoy switched on his universal translator and started perusing the titles. Most of them were, surprisingly, old fashioned paper books – the only one that wasn’t was a short tape on the Romulan language. 

“Shit, is this the actual original tome?” McCoy whistled, gingerly pulling out what looked like a string-bound, papaya tome.

Spock glanced over. “It is highly likely. This is an account from before Surak, and it is likely the original text written back then.”

“And they just leave it out on the shelves for anyone to look at?”

“No one would steal it, or otherwise damage it. Historical accounts like these are highly valued.”

“Well shit, I better put it back before I drop it.” McCoy replaced the tome and moved on.

He and Spock didn’t talk for a while, both busy reading. McCoy wasn’t sure how long it had been before he stumbled on something. He skimmed most of the book, and picked up another to cross-reference.

Maybe…

“Spock, I think I figured something out about Joanna’s biological parents,” McCoy murmured to him. “Have you heard of the Time of Awakening?”

Spock nodded. “Yes. It was a civil war that is considered the end of barbarity on Vulcan. Afterwards, the teachings of Surak were fully embraced.”

“Right, and the opposing side was a group that rejected Surak and his logic and remained highly emotional beings. Well after losing that war, they apparently left Vulcan. So where did they go?”

Spock followed his train of thought immediately. “Romulus. Fascinating. This could help explain the feud that has long since existed between Vulcans and Romulans.”

“Yeah, and I think it might also explain what Joanna’s parents were doing on that Outpost. Since Romulans were once the same as Vulcans, it makes sense that they were also telepathic. When they moved planets, it’s likely that genetic drift and the bottleneck effect caused the genes that correspond to telepathic ability to disappear from a majority of the Romulan population. But what if there were some that retained their telepathic ability?”

Spock nodded. “They would likely be discriminated against, as that characteristic would remind others of Vulcans.”

“Maybe even persecuted.”

Spock raised an eyebrow. “You believe Joanna’s parents were on the Outpost to escape Romulan persecution because they were telepathic.”

McCoy nodded.

“A fascinating hypothesis. Unfortunately, Vulcan’s knowledge of Romulans post the split is very limited, so it is impossible to support one way or another.” McCoy opened his mouth to argue, but Spock continued, “However, it is highly likely. As I have never before heard of a telepathic Romulan, it is likely that any such individuals were largely banished from society. Those that remained would be forced to hide their abilities or face the same.”

“Damn,” McCoy muttered, replacing the books. “Why are humanoids so hateful, Spock?”

“Fear of what one does not understand is very common,” Spock said, and then conceded, “But it is not logical. Nor does it justify the discrimination and hate crimes that it produces.”

McCoy let out a harsh breath. “At least Joanna won’t have to deal with any of that, for a while at least.”

“Indeed.” Spock replaced the book he had been reading. “Have you read those books over there yet?”

“No.” McCoy rubbed his face roughly and then picked out the next book.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much else to be found in the library. It was clear from what they did find that Romulans were highly xenophobic, and due to their hatred of Vulcans they were probably particular about not letting Vulcan have any information about them. But it had been worth a try, and it was worth what little they had learned.

“…Even if we raised her as a Romulan, it would be too dangerous for her to ever go to Romulus,” McCoy mused as they rode back to Spock’s family home. “If she was discovered to be telepathic…”

Spock gently sent a feeling of comfort across their bond. “There is some hope for the future, Leonard. Perhaps someday there will be a movement to end hostilities between Vulcans and Romulans.”

McCoy squeezed his arms tighter around Spock’s torso. “I hope so. I hope, within her lifetime, there will be sometime when Joanna can visit Romulus.”

“I as well. Maybe even someday we can go with her.”

McCoy snorted. “That’s stretching it a bit, I think.”

“Perhaps. But sometimes there is logic in optimism.”

McCoy smiled. “Only sometimes, huh?”

“Realism is usually better.”

“I prefer pessimism, myself. Means I’m pleasantly surprised when good things happen.”

Spock sighed and McCoy straightened, recognizing the tell-tale signs of an approaching argument.

This time, as they drove through the city, the streets were most definitely not quiet, but even Spock didn’t seem to care that other Vulcans were tuning to stare at the odd mixed-species couple arguing on a hoverbike.

\--

It was their last evening on Vulcan.

Spock settled stiffly onto a pillow next to his father in the living room. Sarek was reading from a PADD, something that seemed to require his full attention as he did not recognize Spock’s presence. And yet he did not seem to mind when Joanna crawled into his lap, completely obscuring the PADD. She had picked up an unfortunate habit of believing that someone with a PADD in their hands meant it was time for play.

“ _Sa’mekh-al_ ,” she whined. “Play with me!”

Sarek set the PADD aside without protest and joined her by the pile of blocks she had left behind. Spock had also played with them as a child, and Sarek patiently began to explain to her how the blocks contained a puzzle. The trick, Spock remembered, was that the textures of the blocks changed in a gradient if they were arranged in the proper order.

Watching his father play with his daughter made something twist in Spock’s side, something unpleasant.

If his father had ever played with him like this when he was young, he didn’t remember it.

“She is Romulan, isn’t she?” Sarek murmured. He was watching Joanna pick up each block and toss it on the ground in a seemingly random pattern.

Spock straightened imperceptibly. “…What gives you that impression?”

“Her name. You would not give her such a rare Vulcan name unless you were trying to hide something. Additionally, you found her on an Outpost near the Neutral Zone. It is more likely you would find a Romulan there than a Vulcan.”

Spock took a breath and slowly exhaled. It was illogical to try and keep up the farce. “She is Romulan, yes. Her biological parents were masquerading as Vulcans on a Federation Outpost. Leonard believes they were there in an attempt to escape Romulan persecution.”

“Persecution? Why should they persecute their own people?” Sarek asked, looking up at Spock now.

Spock held his gaze. “They were telepaths. Joanna is also a telepath.”

Sarek hummed thoughtfully. “I see. It is not unlikely that Romulan hatred of Vulcans would manifest to such an extreme.”

Spock nodded. “I agree. Though it is impossible to know with any certainty, Leonard’s theory seems likely.”

Sarek looked down at Joanna again. “…Though Vulcans do not make a habit of lying, I will keep this secret. There is no logic in harming Joanna unnecessarily.”

“…Thank you, Father.” Spock relaxed slightly. “We plan to tell her when she is old enough to make her own decisions, but until then she will be raised as a Vulcan.”

“It will be challenging.”

Spock pressed his lips together and looked down at his knees. He knew that better than anyone, he was sure. It was strange to think that his father may have once been as intimidated by the prospect of parenting as Spock was.

They fell into a strained silence for a while, merely listening to Joanna babbling about the puzzle she was working on. Spock had hoped that Leonard would join them once he was finished with his shower, but his husband merely looked in at the three of them, raised his eyebrow meaningfully, and continued on to the kitchen. Spock heard him ask Amanda if he could help out in the kitchen, and he barely held back a sigh.

It seemed there would be no escaping his father this time.

“ _Sa’mekh_ , I’m hungry!” Joanna complained, wobbling over to him and flopping into his lap.

Spock rested his hand on the back of her head. “Dinner will be ready soon. But if you’d like, I can take you to the kitchen to see if there is something extra you can have before then.”

“I can do it!” Joanna said, standing up with determination and waddling over to the kitchen. Spock was both proud and somewhat disappointed when she made it without need of assistance.

Sarek returned to his PADD, and Spock wished desperately that he had his, for something, _anything_ else to focus on. Instead, he stared down at his hands, inspecting the sand underneath his fingernails. Though he hated having his hands dirty, there was something comforting about the fact that it was so hard to fully rid himself of his home world.

“Starfleet…seems well suited for you.” Spock’s head shot up, but Sarek was still looking down at his PADD. “What have you been researching most recently onboard the _Enterprise_?”

Spock inhaled sharply. His father had never once asked him about his work. That he was doing so now…Spock could hardly process it. He thought of what he had promised Leonard, and released the breath he had been holding. “…I could discuss it with you when we both have the time, if you wish.”

Sarek looked up to appraise him, and Spock felt himself start to get defensive the longer Sarek did not answer. However, Sarek nodded and said, “I would…enjoy that, Spock.”

Stunned, Spock could merely blink at him. He didn’t know what to say. If he hadn’t just heard his father say it with his own ears, he would not have believed it. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the squeezing feeling in his side wasn’t trepidation, or anger. It was…relief. “…I would as well.”

Sarek nodded. They stared at each other uncomfortably for a moment until Amanda poked her head out of the kitchen. “Sarek, Spock? Would you mind setting the table?”

They worked silently, and when it was done, they sat silently as well. Spock was prickly and uncomfortable, so he kept his attention on Leonard helping Amanda in the kitchen. He was apparently trying to help serve the vegetable stew Amanda had made, but it seemed to Spock that more of it was going into his mouth than their bowls. 

“You always asked me why I married your mother,” Sarek said suddenly, and Spock jolted at the realization that there was warmth in his voice. “Now I can pose you a similar question.”

Spock watched Leonard laugh with Amanda in the kitchen, their heads bowed over Joanna as she giggled along with them. Content washed over him, and it was impossible to imagine any other life that he’d want more than the one he was living now. He raised an eyebrow at his father.

“At the time, it seemed the logical thing to do.”

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to write Spock riding a motorcycle don’t ask me why
> 
> I love Sarek and Amanda dearly, but they really don’t seem like they were very prepared to be parents lol (at least in terms of tos canon, I don’t remember enough about aos to judge them there). I think they care for Spock a lot, but they sure have a funny way of showing it.
> 
> I sure hope you enjoyed this! The next installment of this series is going to be backstory on how Spock and Bones got together, so it may be a while, since I intend to follow tos canon for it. 
> 
> As always, find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/kaoru_of_hakone)


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